An iron meteorite, when cut open and etched with acid, often shows a peculiar pattern of nickel-iron crystals called a Widmanstätten pattern. What does the presence of this pattern tell us about the meteorite?
A)It was blasted from the surface of the planet Mars by an impact.
B)It is a fragment of a shattered asteroid that was at least 200 km in diameter.
C)It is a primitive (unaltered) piece of the early solar nebula.
D)It is a fragment of a shattered asteroid that was no more than about 25 km in diameter.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Widmanstätten pattern indicates slow cooling within the core of a large asteroid, suggesting the parent body was at least 200 km in diameter to allow for such cooling rates.

An Iron Meteorite, When Cut Open and Etched with Acid